Timeline of Events – How Ilsington Village Shop was born!

30/09/2008 – Public Meeting organised by owners of the Ilsington Country Store to inform village of plans to close the shop at the end of 2008. Informal group formed to look at ways of keeping the shop open.

08/11/2008 – Questionnaire delivered to all local residents in the Ilsington Parish area.

24/11/2008 – Public Meeting held to inform villagers that it was not possible to keep the current shop open and to seek support to form a committee to look at ways of building a new shop.

15/03/2009 – Post Office successfully relocated to the room at the side of Ilsington Village Hall.

20/05/2009 – Public Meeting held to inform villagers of plans to build a new shop as part of an extension to the Village Hall and to seek ideas on what products and services people would like to see in the new shop. Sufficient donations were received to enable an Industrial Provident Society company to be set up as the first step to creating a community shop.

22/06/2009 – The post box that was outside the old shop was relocated to be adjacent to the proposed new shop.

03/10/2009 – Ilsington’s first Community Market was held in Ilsington Village Hall. This was a great success and raised money towards the Community Shop.

06/11/2009 – Planning Permission granted for extension to Village Hall to form a new shop and meeting room.

Dec 2009 – Received £466 from the Ilsington Charity Ball.

Feb 2010 – Total now raised – £2500 and 75 shares issued.

Mar 2010 – Total now raised – £4000. Grant of £3834 received from Grassroots to put towards the cost of the initial plans. Logo chosen for the new shop.

May 2010 – Total now raised – £12500 and grants of £17500 secured. Chartered Accountant appointed to help us with our accounts.

June 2010 – £20,000 grant secured from the Plunkett Foundation. Ilsington Art Show donated £175 from their annual show and £625 received from the Cycling and Hiking fundraising event held in May.